Improvement in beer-regulators



1. onEcHT.

Beer-Regul-aturs.

` Patented Dec. 8,1`u1874.`

YH! GRAPHIC C0. PHOTD-UTHS #I PARK PLACLWYV Prion.

PATENT JOHN OBBEGHT, OF TELL CITY, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN` BEER-REGULATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l57,535, dated December8, 1874 applicatlon led October 24, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN OBREGHT, of Tell City, in the county of Perryand State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Beer-Regulator,of which the following is a speciiication In the accompanying drawing,Figure l represents a sectional front elevation, and Fig. 2 a top view,of my improved beer-regulating apparatus.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for regulatingbeer, and other fermented liquors in the kegs, in such a manner that notonly the carbonio-acid gas liberated during the time of drawing 0E thesame is utilized, but also the same kept fresh and sweet for any lengthof time, and be readily drawn off by the faucet. V

The carbonic-acidgas generators hitherto employed for lsupplying therequired vent to the kegs, and keeping the liquid sweet and palatablefor longer time, are not only very expensive and cumbersome, but'necessitate also continuous working expenses for` generating the gas.

For the purpose of providing a simple, readily-operated, and economicalapparatus for regulatin g and preserving beer, I provide a larger Waterreceptacle or tub, with an interior smaller gas-reservoir, and connectthe same, by intermediate branch pipes with check-valve and aStop-cock,to the gas-distributing pipes, with stop-cocks and water-indicators, andthen to the kegs containing the beer for the action of the gas thereon,connecting, further, the water-tub by a pump with the faucets of theempty kegs, for pumping water therein, and force, by the distributingand reservoir-corr necting pipes, the liberated gas back to thereservoir for being applied to the next keg to be tapped.

In the drawing, A represents a water tub or receptacle, of suitablesize, and B a second tub, of smaller size, which is placed bottom upwardwithin the outer tub, to act as reservoir for the carbonio-acid gas,being fastened, by suitable lugs a, to tub A, so as to be prevented fromrising. The lower part of tub Or reservoir'B communicates suitably withthe outer tub, which is filled with water, compressing thereby the airor acid within the reservoir, and forcing it upward through a pipe, C,screwed tightly into the bottom of reservoir B. Bipe G bends andbranches out into ring or square shaped pipes D, of which one isprovided with a check-valve, a, the other with a stop-cock, b,tl1cformer for the purpose of conducting the gas from pipe C to the kegs,while preventing its return in opposite direction, the latter forforcing the liberated gas from the keg into the reservoir. Thecontinuation C of the branch part D connects by as manydistributing-pipes E as there are kegs to be supplied with the same,each pipe E being provided with a stop-cock, d, and water-indicatororbox with glass front e. The lower part of each water-indicator econnects, by the rubber end section of pipe e, with the metallic bung eof a keg, which bung is driven into the keg for taking the place of thecommon wooden bung on tapping the same. The communication of each kegwith the gas-reservoir B is formed through pipe C, check-valve a,continuation C', stopcock d, water-indicator e, and bung e, producing asufficient supply of air or gas to the keg by the pressure of the waterin tub A for giving vent to the liquid therein, and draw it off in easyand uniform manner. The water-receptacle A is also connected by a pipe,f, with a suction and force pump, F, which communicates, by an exitpipe, g, having check-valve g1 and gas or rubber tube g2, with thefaucet lr of the keg to be attached thereto when the same is empty, forthe purpose of forcing, by the action of the pump, the water fromreceptacle A into the keg till it rises into the water-indicator e. v

As the ,branch stop-cock h and distributing stop-cock d have previouslybeen opened, the carbonio-acid gas, which has become liberated in thekeg during the drawing olf of the contents, is'forced back into thereservoir B, and may then be instantly utilized for the next full keg tobe tapped. The distributing stop-cock is then closed, and the empty kegtaken away from the support or ice-box, to give place to the next keg,to which the gas is then applied,

as described. The water in the tub has to be renewed frequently, and allthe parts kept clean.

The apparatus possesses the advantage of keeping beer fresh so long asthere is any in the keg, improving the same in proportion as thequantity of carbonic gas increases by constant use, it being alwayspreserved and made to act on the next keg.

The apparatus, on a larger scale, may also be advantageously used inbreweries, and, in case of fire, with proper hose attached to the pump,as a ready extinguisher.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The apparatus for regulating and preserving beerand other malt liquors, composed of a water receptacle or tub, A, withinterior gas-reservoir B, connecting main pipe C C', with intermediatebranch pipes D, having check-Valve a in one branch, and stop-cock b inthe other, and of distributing-pipes E, with stop-cock d andWater-indicators e, in connection with bungs e of the kegs,substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the water and gas receptacles, and keg or kegsconnected to the gas-receptacle by a pipe or pipes, of the pump F andpipes f g2, substantially as shown and described.

. JOHN OBREGHT. Witnesses:

GABRIEL ScHMoRcK, GEO. F. Bor'r.

